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Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF/OND Casualty Update 23 Apr 2014 [PDF]
• Infantrymen disrupt Taliban lethal aid in Helmand province USMC News 23 Apr 2014 -- As the majority of Camp Leatherneck's residents were still asleep one typical Thursday morning, infantrymen with Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, reinforced with Afghan commandos, prepared to depart friendly lines, April 17.
• 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit Returns Home After Eight-Month Deployment USMC News 23 Apr 2014 -- After eight months at sea conducting theater security cooperation exercises with foreign nations throughout the Western Pacific and the Middle East, Marines and Sailors of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) and Boxer Amphibious Ready Group (BOXARG) are slated to wrap up their Western Pacific deployment and head home to San Diego, Calif., April 24, 2014.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Hagel Notifies Egypt of Upcoming U.S. Certification AFPS 23 Apr 2014 -- Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel informed his Egyptian counterpart yesterday that Secretary of State John F. Kerry soon will certify to Congress that Egypt is sustaining the strategic relationship with the United States and is meeting its obligations under the 1979 Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty.
• DOD Announces Military Equipment Moves with Australia, Egypt AFPS 23 Apr 2014 -- Australia has agreed to purchase F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter aircraft, and the Defense Department will deliver Apache helicopters to Egypt, a Pentagon spokesman announced today.
• Washington: Military Aid to Egypt Serves US National Security Interests VOA 23 Apr 2014 -- The United States is defending its decision to allow some military aid to flow to Egypt, despite concerns that the country's promised transition back to democracy has been anything but smooth.
• Readout of Secretary Hagel's Meeting With Canada's Minister of Defense DoD 23 Apr 2014
• Altus, McConnell selected to receive KC-46A Pegasus aircraft DoD 23 Apr 2014 -- U.S. Air Force officials announced today Altus Air Force Base, Okla., as the Air Force's KC-46A Pegasus formal training unit and McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., as the first active duty-led Pegasus main operating base.e
• Pacific Naval Leaders Agree to Adopt Sea Guidelines AFPS 23 Apr 2014 -- Nearly two dozen Asia-Pacific nations agreed to sea guidelines adopted by naval leaders at the Western Pacific Naval Symposium yesterday in China, Defense Department spokesman Army Col. Steven Warren said here today.
• 101st Airborne begins transitioning to BCT 2020 Army News 23 Apr 2014 -- The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) is beginning Operation Agile Eagle II, designed to localize and implement the larger Department of the Army-directed BCT 2020 initiative.
• USNS Spearhead Participates in Exercise Obangame Express NNS 23 Apr 2014 -- The U.S. Navy's first-in-class joint high-speed vessel USNS Spearhead (JHSV 1) participated in exercise Obangame Express alongside European, Atlantic, and African partners in the Gulf of Guinea April 16-21.
• Acquisition Process Challenges Leaders Advancing Rapid Transfer Technology to the Fleet NNS 23 Apr 2014 -- Senior leaders from the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) joined panel moderator Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy Dr. John Zangardi for discussions on rapidly advancing global Information Dominance technology across the fleet at the 2014 AFCEA San Diego C4ISR Symposium, April 22.
• US to Station 600 Paratroopers in Baltics, Poland RIA Novosti 23 Apr 2014 -- The US will dispatch about 150 paratroopers to Latvia in order to strengthen security in the country, as well as similar numbers to Poland, Lithuania and Estonia, the Latvian ambassador to NATO said Wednesday in an interview with the LTV channel.
• Electronic Attack Squadron 132 Participates in Exercise Max Thunder NNS 23 Apr 2014 -- The U.S. Navy's Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 132 'Scorpions' participated in Exercise Max Thunder, a bilateral aerial training exercise for U.S. and Republic of Korea (ROK) military aircrews and maintainers April 23 at Gwangju Air Base.
• Obangame Express 2014 Concludes NNS 23 Apr 2014 -- LAGOS, Nigeria - Exercise Obangame Express 2014, the multinational maritime exercise in the Gulf of Guinea, concluded April 23.
• USNS Spearhead Arrives in Libreville, Gabon for Port Visit NNS 23 Apr 2014 -- Joint, high-speed vessel USNS Spearhead (JHSV 1) arrived in Libreville, Gabon, for a port visit, April 23.
• Shamal Paves the Road to Excellence NNS 23 Apr 2014 -- The crew of the Cyclone-class patrol coastal ship USS Shamal (PC 13) was awarded their second consecutive Battle Efficiency (Battle 'E') Award March 20, by Commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic.
• US Army Military Intelligence Section Established, 3 May 1917 Army News 23 Apr 2014 -- When the United States declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917, the US Army's intelligence efforts were nearly non-existent. Early attempts to gather important information about foreign armies had resulted in the creation of a Military Information Division in 1885. In 1903, the division was transferred from the Adjutant General's Office to the Office of the Chief of Staff, where it became the Second Division of the General Staff.
• Stryker Master Trainer Course comes to JBLM Army News 18 Apr 2014 -- They rotated out in groups of four or five Soldiers each. The noncommissioned officers from the 3-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 7th Infantry Division, focused on the lesson at hand-mounting and dismounting a .50-caliber machine gun on a Stryker vehicle.
• Army Working Group held at JMC to synchronize ammunition requirements Army News 18 Apr 2014 -- The Joint Munitions Command's Munitions Logistics Readiness Center hosted a semiannual Total Army Ammunition Authorization and Allocation Committee working group meeting here, April 14-17.
• China holds multi-country maritime exercises People's Daily 23 Apr 2014 -- Multi-country maritime exercises were held off the coast of the eastern Chinese city of Qingdao on Wednesday.
• Senior Chinese officer calls for closer military cooperation with India People's Daily 23 Apr 2014 -- A visiting senior Chinese army officer on Tuesday called on the Chinese and Indian militaries to forge closer ties by expanding exchanges and cooperation in various fields.
• China's military requires tightened secrecy People's Daily 23 Apr 2014 -- China's Central Military Commission (CMC) has called for tightened military secrecy amid an 'austere and complicated' situation.
• India successfully test-fires its own anti-aircraft missile - media VoR 23 Apr 2014 -- On Wednesday India successfully test-fired its own supersonic surface-to-air Akash missile, local media reports. The launch was carried out from the test range at Chandipur in Odisha. The Akash missiles successfully hit an unmanned aircraft, Lakshya.
• Russia's GLONASS Navigation System Fully Operational RIA Novosti 23 Apr 2014 -- The satellite constellation of Russia's Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS) is fully operational, providing global coverage, the head of the Russian presidential administration said Wednesday.
• Russia to Build 50 GLONASS Stations in 36 Countries RIA Novosti 23 Apr 2014 -- Russia plans to build 50 stations of Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS) in several dozen countries across the world, Russian presidential administration chief told the Navitech 2014 forum for navigation system Wednesday.
• Russia Adds Space Corporation to List of Strategic Companies RIA Novosti 23 Apr 2014 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree Wednesday to add Russia's newly formed United Rocket and Space Corporation to the list strategic enterprises entitled to preferential government support.
• Study: Mideast Military Expenditures Increasing VOA 23 Apr 2014 -- Post-Arab Spring political tensions are driving up military spending in the Middle East, analysts say.
• Remarks by President Obama and Prime Minister Abe of Japan Before Bilateral Meeting The White House 23 Apr 2014
• April 23, 2014 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 23 Apr 2014

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for April 23, 2014

Other Conflicts

• 23 April 2014 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 23 Apr 2014
• Syria: UN chiefs issue impassioned plea to save besieged civilians UN News Centre 23 Apr 2014 -- Calling urgently on Syrian authorities and the opposition to allow aid access, end siege warfare and halt the indiscriminate bombing of civilians, the top United Nations humanitarian officials today also issued a strong challenge to "those with the responsibility, power and influence" to find the courage to re-energize a thus-far failed diplomatic push to end the brutal three-year conflict.
• Syria chemical disarmament 'going very well' - Lavrov VoR 23 Apr 2014 -- The process of Syria's chemical disarmament is going on smoothly, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told RT TV channel Wednesday. 'We signed a deal on the chemical disarmament of Syria. The process has been going very well,' Lavrov said in English, citing satisfactory assessments by the UN and OPCW personnel participating in the process.
• Mali's peace train 'cannot be turned back,' senior UN official tells Security Council UN News Centre 23 Apr 2014 -- Calling for continued cooperation with regional organizations to support Mali's steady efforts towards peace and stability through inclusive talks, a senior United Nations official today told the Security Council that despite progress, the security situation in the country's restive north remains "very fragile" with increased activity by terrorist groups.
• UN envoy reaffirms world body's strong resolve to stay the course in Somalia UN News Centre 23 Apr 2014 -- The top United Nations envoy in Somalia today called on the country's international partners to boost support to aid peacebuilding and humanitarian efforts there, while reaffirming that the world body has no plans to withdraw amid attacks by Al-Shabaab militants.
• UN in DR Congo pledges support, good offices to upcoming polls UN News Centre 23 Apr 2014 -- The United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) will provide technical and logistical support for upcoming elections, the top UN official in the country today confirmed, stressing that the planning for the polls must be well organized and well-funded.
• Refugees, returnees from Nigeria strain Niger host population IRIN 23 Apr 2014 -- There are now more returnees and refugees in Niger's southeastern region of Diffa near the border with Nigeria than there are Malian refugees in western Niger, straining host populations who are already some of the poorest people in the world, and the local authorities.
• Trauma link to malnutrition in CAR IRIN 23 Apr 2014 -- Data collected at a hospital clinic for malnourished children in the Central African Republic (CAR) suggests that many of the childrens' parents present symptoms of post-traumatic stress directly linked to their exposure to extreme violence, according to the NGO Action Against Hunger (ACF).
• UN expert calls for consultations on reforming Côte d'Ivoire's electoral commission UN News Centre 23 Apr 2014 -- A United Nations human rights expert today called on authorities in Côte d'Ivoire to undertake broad consultations on the reform of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to prevent the country from "falling back into crisis."

News Reports

• US Airborne Lands in Eastern Europe as Ukraine Tensions Rise VOA 23 Apr 2014 -- U.S. Army paratroopers landed Wednesday in Poland, at the start of military maneuvers aimed at easing anxieties in allied eastern European countries alarmed at Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimean peninsula.
• Putin Strategy With Ukrainian Separatists Differs From Crimea VOA 23 Apr 2014 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin's approach to pro-Russian militants destabilizing southern and eastern Ukraine differs from his strategy on Crimea, where Russian forces took a more active role in breaking away the peninsula from Kyiv.
• Ukraine Formally Calls Off Easter Truce VOA 23 Apr 2014 -- Ukraine has formally called off an Easter truce with pro-Russian separatists in the country's east and announced 'anti-terrorist operations' are on again.
• Pro-federalization protesters picketed mayor's office in Ukraine's Kharkov VoR 23 Apr 2014 -- Two meetings (opponents and supporters of the current Kiev authorities) were held near Kharkov City Council. Supporters of the country's federalization picketed mayor's office, as reported by local media. They carried a large banner 'No elections without a referendum'. Protesters demanded that the Ukrainian authorities grant Russian the status of an official language. Meanwhile, supporters of Kiev authorities gathered near the Eternal Flame, they chanted slogans in support of the 'united and indivisible Ukraine'.
• US, Russia flexing muscles over Ukraine crisis Iran Press TV 23 Apr 2014 -- The United States and Russia expand their military buildup near Ukraine with American soldiers arriving in Poland while Moscow conducts military drills near its border with Ukraine.
• Kiev resumes military operation in eastern Ukraine Iran Press TV 23 Apr 2014 -- Ukraine's acting government has resumed its military operation against pro-Russian activists in the eastern part of the country after a short pause.
• Russia to react if interests attacked in Ukraine: Russia Iran Press TV 23 Apr 2014 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has warned that Russia will respond if Moscow's interests are attacked in Ukraine as it did in Georgia six years ago.
• Ukraine Poised To Relaunch Offensive As Lawmaker's Death Confirmed RFE/RL 23 Apr 2014 -- Ukraine's government says it has formally ended an Easter truce and is preparing a fresh military offensive against pro-Russian insurgents in the east following the killing of a local politician.
• Lavrov Says Russia Will Respond If Interests Attacked In Ukraine RFE/RL 23 Apr 2014 -- Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has warned that Russia will retaliate if Russian interests are threatened in Ukraine.
• EU Calls on Kiev Authorities to Avoid Violence in East RIA Novosti 23 Apr 2014 -- The European Union is calling on the interim government in Kiev to refrain from violence that could further deteriorate the situation in protest-hit eastern regions, a spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said Wednesday.
• Ukraine Proposes EU, US Involvement in Gas Pipeline Network RIA Novosti 23 Apr 2014 -- Ukraine has already sent offers on the joint modernization and exploitation of its natural gas pipeline network to a number of American and European companies, Ukrainian Energy and Coal Industry Minister Yuriy Prodan told journalists Wednesday.
• Ukrainian Official Says Kiev Has Secured US Support RIA Novosti 23 Apr 2014 -- Kiev has secured US support and is counting on substantial assistance from Washington if required, Ukraine's First Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Yarema said Wednesday.
• Donbas Federalists Say Kiev Unwilling to Implement Geneva Accords RIA Novosti 23 Apr 2014 -- By resuming an operation against pro-federalization protesters, Kiev has demonstrated that it is not willing to implement the Geneva agreement to de-escalate the situation in Ukraine, a senior commander of self-defense forces in eastern Ukraine told RIA Novosti Wednesday.
• Donetsk Authorities Propose Temporary Constitutional Agreement RIA Novosti 23 Apr 2014 -- A temporary constitutional agreement to boost regional autonomy in Ukraine would allow the de-escalation of the crisis in the country while broader reforms are worked out, the regional administration of Ukraine's Donetsk Region said Wednesday.
• Donetsk Authorities Refuse Support for Local Referendum RIA Novosti 23 Apr 2014 -- Local authorities in the Ukrainian city of Donetsk have refused to help pro-federalization supporters hold a referendum on the region's autonomy scheduled for May 11, a local official told journalists Wednesday.
• Kiev Restarts Operation Against Protesters in Eastern Ukraine RIA Novosti 23 Apr 2014 -- The military operation launched by Ukrainian authorities earlier this month against protesters in eastern Ukraine has again entered an active phase, the Security Service of Ukraine told RIA Novosti Wednesday.
• Violence Continues in Ukraine Despite Geneva Agreement – Lavrov RIA Novosti 23 Apr 2014 -- Ukraine's illegal armed Right Sector group continues to stage provocations in Ukraine despite the Geneva agreement calling for the end of violence in the country, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday.
• Chernobyl Radiation Shield Under Threat Amid Ukraine Crisis RIA Novosti 23 Apr 2014 -- The construction of a contamination shield at the damaged Chernobyl nuclear power plant could be delayed amid the ongoing political crisis in the country, the CEO of aid agency Chernobyl Children International (CCI) told the Irish Independent.
• Moscow Will Respond to Attack on Russian Interests – Lavrov RIA Novosti 23 Apr 2014 -- Moscow will be forced to respond correspondingly to any actions undermining the interests of Russian citizens, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday.
• Russia's Shadowy Military Presence Threatens East Ukraine VOA 23 Apr 2014 -- As the rhetorical shots between Moscow and the West continue, there are an estimated 40,000 Russian troops stationed just across the border from Ukraine poised to invade that country if Russian President Vladimir Putin gives the order.
• 'Little Evidence' of N. Korea Nuclear Test During Obama Visit VOA 23 Apr 2014 -- A U.S. research group says there is 'little evidence' North Korea will conduct a nuclear test during President Barack Obama's upcoming visit to Seoul.
• Right-leaning Japan becomes Washington's liability in Asia-Pacific People's Daily 23 Apr 2014 -- President Barack Obama, priding himself on being 'America's first Pacific President,' starts his four-nation Asia tour in Japan late Wednesday, aiming to consolidate Washington's long-promised engagement with the dynamic Asia-Pacific region.
• Taiwan confirms 3rd imported H7N9 case CNA 22 Apr 2014 -- The Centers for Disease Control confirmed Tuesday the third imported case of H7N9 avian flu since April last year.
• MERS death toll hits 81 in Saudi Arabia Iran Press TV 23 Apr 2014 -- Two Saudis have died from the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), bringing the death toll from the killer infection to 81, Saudi Health Ministry says.
• FBI Accused of Violating Muslims' 1st Amendment Rights VOA 23 Apr 2014 -- A lawsuit claiming the FBI violated the first amendment rights of four Muslims by placing them on the no-fly List has been filed this week in U.S. Federal Court.
• Russian Spacecraft to Test New Docking System on Space Station RIA Novosti 23 Apr 2014 -- A Russian Progress unmanned cargo spacecraft has undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) to test a new automated approach and docking system, a spokesman for Russia's Mission Control Center said Wednesday.
• Satellite Navigation Market to See Fierce Competition, Cooperation – Russian Official RIA Novosti 23 Apr 2014 -- The international market of satellite navigation services is to become both a field of fierce competition and a promising arena for cooperation, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin told an international navigation forum in Moscow on Wednesday.
• Tiny Moldova Faces Its East-West Moment Of Truth RFE/RL 23 Apr 2014 -- Torn between Russia and the West, Moldova's fault lines are visible everywhere and are rendered more volatile by the country's weak sense of national identity. And the tension is clearly being strained by the crisis in neighboring Ukraine, as well as by Moldova's successful European-integration drive - and Moscow's determination to prevent it.
• Turkey Extends Unprecedented Condolences to Armenian People RIA Novosti 23 Apr 2014 -- Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan offered unprecedented condolences to the Armenian people in a statement published on his official website Wednesday.